Vehicle direction signal



March 8, 1938. c. o. HILL VEHICLE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Dec. 3, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III/[#1111111 ATTORI Z C. O. HILL March 8, 1938.

VEHICLE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Dec 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 72 1/ INZ'EW.

\f :4 ATTORNEY,

Patented Mar. 8, 1938 TumTEo STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to and has for a main object the provision of a'manually controlled vacuum operated semaphore signal permanently attachable to, the top of an automobile body adjacent the windshield, or in any other suitable position, normally housed within the top of the vehicle and adapted to be extended horizontally and inclined upwardly or downwardly, for indicating, respectively,

turn or stop of the vehicle, as may be contemplated by the operator thereof, and tobe restored to hidden position in the top at the will of the operator after each'signalling operation.

The invention contemplates the provision of connections between the signalling 'means and a suction chamber of an internal combustion motor, or othersource of vacuum, by'ma ns of which, upon the operation of the control means by the operator, the signal will be extended and retracted without manual effort, and selectively inclined upwardly or downwardly from a horizontal position, in accordance with the intended turning or stoppage of the vehicle, and means for automatically illuminating the signalling member, or semaphore for rendering the signal visible at night.

Other and more'detailed objects of invention will appear as the description progresses.

I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of my invention, subject to modification, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit thereof.

In said drawings: f

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automobile body showing the signal extended for indicating a left hand turn, and indicating in broken lines the position of the signal for indicating right hand turns and stops;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, in elevation, of the signal apparatus operatively mounted in the top of a vehicle, on line 2-4 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the semaphore on line 3-8 of Fig. 2, and associated pa Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on line 4-4 of Fig. 2

of a vacuum cylinder and piston operatively connected with and for extending and retracting the semaphore;

Figs. 5, 6, I, and 8 are, respectively, transverse sections on lines 5-5, 6-6, 1-1 and 8-4 of Fig. 9 is a side view of the signal apparatus,

partly in section and partly diagrammatic, show-. ing the operative connections between the semaphore, the vacuum operated piston and cylinder,

2. right turn, left upper and lower plates 2i and 22 betwee and the control means in which the signal is set to indicatea left hand turn of the vehicle;

Figs. 10 and 11- are, respectively, fragmentary side views of the signal shown in upwardly and downwardly inclined 'positions for right hand turnsand stops;

Fig. 12 is an; end view of the control valve and operating member;

v Fig. 13 is a longitudinal'section of the same on line l3l3 of Fig. 12; v 10 Fig. 14 is a. view of the control valve, partly in section; and

Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the. control indicating 5 valveon line l5-l5 of Fig. 14.

As shown in Fig. l the signal apparatus is 16 preferably mounted in the top I of a vehicle V in a position slightly above and to the' rear of the windshield 2 so as to be normally hidden from view and enclosedwithin the top I. For providing the customary signals, the semaphore 20 is adapted to be'extended, as shown, to a horizontal'position externally of the top I and thereafter to be upwardly or downwardly inclined, as

indicated in broken lines, for indicating proposed right turns or stops. when extended as shown 25 in full lines the signal indicates a proposed left hand turn. I

Briefly described, the apparatus includes a vacuum cylinder 3, a piston 4 reciprocable in said cylinder, guides 5, i, rigidly connected with cyl- 3o inder 3, a semaphore 6 slidable on said guides, and a control valve 1 embodying a cylinder 8, a cylindrical valve 9, a dial lit and an operating member ll. Cylinder 3 has heads 12 and I3 secured to-opposite ends thereof and adapted to 35 be connected by means of tubes I4 and I5, respectively, with cylinder 8 of the control means, whereby, uponthe proper operation of valve 9, suction may be applied to oppositesides of piston 4, for extending and retracting the piston 40 and the semaphore 6. A rod ton- 4 with a slide 11 on which the semaphore 6 r ispivotally mounted at i8.

Head I! may have a suitable stufling box It for packing the rod l6 and the extended end of 45 said rod is attached as'by means of apin or screw 20 to slide 11, said slide being formedwith n and on which a plurality of rollers 23, 23, etc. are rotatably held for engagement with the parallel guides 50 5, 5. A channeled frame member 24 may be provided for attachment to a suitable member 25 of thetop I and the guides 5, 5,-may-he at tached to or formed on the edges of the legs of member 24, as shown inFig. 5, so that the slide 55 It connects pistrol valve 6'is properly described. 1

H will be free to move longitudinally of the guides as the piston is correspondingly reciprocated.

On the outer ends of members 6 a pair of vacuum cylinders 26 and 21 (see Fig. 8) are rigidly mounted in transversely opposite positions and are connected at their outer ends with the control valve cylinder 6, respectively, by means of tubes 26 and, 26. Pistons 36-, and 3| are reciprocably mounted in the cylinders 26 and 21, respectively, and have stems 32 and 33 which are slidably held in rigid hollow members 36 and 36, respectively, attached to and depending from members 6, and the ends of said stems 32 and 33 extend substantlallybeyond members 6 into "the path of the outer transverse edge of a semi-circular plate 36 which is rigidly attached to the inner portion of'semaphore 6. A spring 31' is carried on each of stems 32 and 33 and is compressed between the upper surface of member 26 and a pin 36 held in each of said'stems, and tends-to urge the piston in each of the cylinders 26 and 21' upwardly to its extreme of movement. The pistons 36 and 3| are moved downwardly so as to remove the upper ends of stems 32 and 33 from the path of plate 36, selectively, by'means of suction created in the-bottoms of the cylinders 26 and 21 when the conoperated, as, hereinafter As shown in Figs. 9. 10,-and 11, both stems u and 33 engage plate 36 when the signal arm is horizontally extended, and said stems alternately I engagesaid plate when the signal arm is inclined of slide H.

in opposite directions. Said stems operate as.

fulcrums for'inclining the signal arm, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. l

It will be noted that a tension-spring 36 is provided for tens'ioning the semaphore 6 so as to restore the semaphore to normal. horizontal position at the completion of a Stop signalling operation'i. e. when the semaphore is inclined as in Fig. 11 on stem 32 as a fulcrum, said spring is attachedat its opposite ends to the upper side of plate 36 and a point 66 on the upper plate 2| (See Fig. 11.) Gravity is relied upon to restore the semaphore 6 to horizontal position from ten upwardly inclined position, as. shown in Fig. 1 k I v As shown in'Fig. 3, the outer surface of the vehicle top is recessed at 62 and provided with a waterproof gasket 63 in the bottom of the recess so that a plate attached to the outer end of semaphore 6 may seat in the recess with its outer surface flush with the outer surface of the top.

Semaphore 6 is ofrectangular hollow .cross section and is normally axially alined with cylof arrows, as 66, substantially elongated, preferably covered by glass or celluloid sheets 66 so that light may emanate from one or more lamps 61 suitably mounted in the semaphore, for illuminating the signal at night, or on dark days.

, Electric wires 66 and 66 are adapted'to be connected with a source of electric current and terminate on binding posts 56 and 5| whichare [oppositely mounted near the outer end of and on member 26; and inwardly extended contacts with laterally spaced spring contacts 66 and 66 which are secured'to the lower side of semaphore 6 and are connected'with lamps 61, 61 by means of wires 66 and 51, or bya single wire as when the lamps are arranged in series. Thus, as the semaphore approaches its outward extreme of movement on the guides 5, 6,'the electrical contacts are engaged for energizing the lamps 61, and said lamps remain energized as long as the semaphore is extended and until the same has been restored to a position inwardly of the position shown in Fig. 2. v

The control valve 1 preferably, as a matter of convenience in' operation, but not necessarily,

has five positions as indicated on the face of the dial I6, namely "Right", Neutral", Left, Neutral" and "Stop, so that by turning the operating knob II from one neutral position eitherto the right or'to the left as shown in Fig. 12, the valve.6 may be set for a right turn or a left turn, and in either direction from the other neutral position the valve may be set for a left turn or a stop position.

In addition to the-tubes 26, I6, 26, and 5 shown in Fig. 13 which connect with the valve cylinder 6 a tube 56 leads-outwardly from said cylinder and forms -a free air inlet with which other tubes 26, I6, 26, and I6 are longitudinally alined. At different peripheral positions internally of valve 6 bypasses are provided for connecting certain of the tubes 26, I6, 26, I6, and 66 as follows: a bypass'66 connects peripheral ports 66 and 6| in said valve for affording communication between tubes l6 and 56; similar bypasses 62 and 63 are provided at spaced points with corresponding peripheral ports in the valve for a like purpose; and a pair'of longer bypasses 66 and 66 are provided-between bypasses 66 and 62 and 63 for affording communication between tubes I6 and 66. The ends of said bypasses all open at the periphery of the valve 6 for registration with certain of the tubes 26, I6, 26, I6 and 66.

Alined with bypass 66 a pair of peripheral ports 66 and 61 are provided in valve 6 for registration with tubes 26 and I6; alined with bypass 62 a single port 66 in valve 6 is provided for regis- -tration with tube l6; and alined with bypass 63 a pair of ports 66 and 16 are provided for regispartial vacuunr constantly exists in valve 6 which is communicated to the cylinder 3 on one or the other side'of piston 6 as the case may be, and to the cylinders 26 and 21, depending upon the operation-of member II for displaying a signal to correspond to a proposed movement or stoppage 'of the vehicle. Also, in line with each of the two neutral connections 66 and 66 I provide a port 12 in valve 6 for registration with tube 5.

The connections just described permit of .the following operations: when the valve 6 is positioned for a left hand turn, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, port 66 registers with pipe l6, thereby applying vacuum to the forward and outer side of piston 6 through tube 6, and by-pass 62 connects pipes l5 and 56, whereby free air from the atmosphere is conducted to the inner end of cylinder 3 at the rear of piston 6 so that the vacuum so applied may move the piston forwardly 'in the cylinder for extending the semaphore 6 to the position shown in Fig. 9.' On the completion-of a left turn, the movement of operating; member H in either direction from the position shown will move one of the bypasses 64 and 65 toregister with tubes II and 58 for admitting air from the atmosphere to the outer end of cylinder 3 while the associated port 12 will register with pipe I5, thereby applying vacuum to the rearend of cylinder 3 and effect the restoration of piston 4 and semaphore 5 to their normally inward positions.

A right hand turn signal is eiiected by moving member H to the left as seen in Fig. 12, so as to register ports 69 and with tubes l4 and 28, respectively, and bypass 63 with tubes l5 and 58, thereby applying vacuum, as before, to the forward side of piston d for moving the semaphore 6 into the position shown in Fig. 9. However, vacuum is applied to piston 30 in cylinder 26 through pipe 28 and effects the depression of stem 32 from the path of plate 36, thereby efiecting the upward swing of the semaphore 6 to the inclined position shown in Fig. -10 by reason of the engagement of stem 33 with the associated portion of plate 36. Air from the atmosphere is admitted through tube 58, bypass 63 and tube l5 to the rear end of cylinder 3. The return to neutral position is accomplished in the same manner as when making a left hand turn.

For a stop signal the member I I is turned to the right as seen in Fig. 12 until ports 66 and 61 register with tubes 29 and M, respectively, and bypass 59 registers with tubes I5 and 58, whereupon the piston ll and semaphore 6 are moved outwardly as before, the piston 3| in cylinder 21 is depressed so that its stem 33 will be removed from the pathof the plate 36, and the semaphore willthen swing downwardly into the inclined position shown in Fig. 11 by reason of the engagement of stem 32 with plate 36. The restoration from this position is effected as before.

It will be noted that the vacuum from valve 9 is constantly applied to the rear side of the piston t when the valve is in neutral position and serves to hold the piston at its rearmost extreme of movement and the semaphore completely housed in the top l of the vehicle.

Operating member H is secured to a stem 9 of valve 9 and. a spring I0 is carried on said stem between end In and the adjacent end of said valve for tensioning member ll. Also, a spring detent H may be held in member II- for seating in notches I 2' at the different positions on dial ID, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

The cylinders 26 and 21 are provided with free air vents 26' and 21', respectively, by means of which air is drawn into the cylinders above the pistons as suction is applied to the opposite sides of the pistons and discharged from the cylinders as said pistons move upwardly therein.

The apparatus shown and described herein is simple and effective and is operable without manual effort except for the operation of the control valve 9 which may be mounted in a suitable position on the instrument board'or steering post of the hicle.

What I claim is:

1. A directionsignal for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a semaphore operatively connected with said piston for extension to and retraction from signallingv position, a control valve connected with said cylindef and with a source of vacuum, and means adapted to be rendered operative by said valve for applying suction -to said piston for first horizontally extending said semaphore to one signalling position, and means effective thereafter for selectively inclining said semaphore upwardly or downwardly, at will, from said first posisame upwardly or downwardly, as described.

tion to second or third signalling positions for indicating different movements of a vehicle.

2. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a semaphore operatively connected with said piston for extension to and retraction from signalling position, a control valve connected with said cylinder and with a source of vacuum, and means adapted to be rendered operative by said valve for applying suction to said piston for initially extending said semaphore horizontally to one signalling position, and means for thereafter selectively inclining said semaphore upwardly or downwardly at will, from said initial position to second and third signalling positions for indicating diflerent movements of a vehicle, and means for restoring said semaphore to inoperative position at the completion of signalling operations.

3. A direction signal for vehicles comprising cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, a semaphore operatively connected with said'piston for horizontal extension to and from signalling position, and means for extending the semaphore in upwardly or downwardly inclined positions to indicate clifierent movements of the vehicle including a control valve connected with said means and with a source of vacuum for selectively operating said semaphore so as to display different signals corresponding to the proposed movement of the vehicle.

4. A direction signal .for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a. vacuum operated piston therein, a semaphore operativly connected therewith, a control valve connected with a source of vacuum and with said cylinder for regulating the horizontal extension of said semaphore to a horizontal signalling position, and means operable when said semaphore has been horizontally extended a predetermined extent for tilting the 5. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a frame, a cylinder thereon, a vacuum operated piston therein, a semaphore operatively connected therewith for horizontal movement on said frame, a control valve connected with a source of vacuum and with said cylinder for regulating the extension of said semaphore to a horizontal signalling position, and means operable when said 'semaphore reaches a predetermined horizontally extended posilon for tilting the same upwardly or downwardly, said means including a pair of selectively extensible members engageable with portions of said semaphore, and means for restoring said semaphore to normally retracted position at the completion of each signalling operation.

6. A direction signal for vehicles comprising acylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, a control valve connected with a source of vacuum and arranged for affording communication between said source of vacuum and opposite portions of said cylinder, a semaphore operatively connected with said piston and adapted to be hor'- izontally extended to a signalling position when said piston is moved in a given direction, and

vacuum operated means engageable with portions of said semaphore at a given point in its outward movement and operative for tilting said semaphore upwardly or downwardly under the control of said valve to additional signalling positions, said valve being operable reversely for extending and retracting said semaphore. I

7,. A direction signal for vehicles comprising'a cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, a

semaphore operatively connected therewith for reversely, for aflording different direction signals, and a control valve connected with a source of extension in a horizontal movement to a given signalling position and thereafter adapted to be tilted in reverse directions to other signalling positions, vacuum operated means for regulating the tilting of said semaphore, and a control valve connected with a source of vacuum and with said cylinder and with said tilting means, for selectively extending said semaphore to and retracting the same from different signalling positions.

8. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, a semaphore operatively connected therewith, vacuum operated devices adapted to simultaneously engage and hold said semaphore in a horizontally extended position and selectively engageable therewith i'or tilting the semaphore vacuum and with said cylinder andwith said devices, for regulating and effecting the operation of said signals. v I

9. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, guides longitudinally extended from said cylinder, a semaphore slidably and tiltably mounted on said guides and operatively connected with said piston,

a control valve connected with a source of vacuum,

' connections between said valve and said cylinder for applying vacuum to opposite sides of said piston, for extending and retracting said semaphore, and cooperating means on said guides and opposite sides of said piston for extending and retracting said semaphore.

11. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, sta,

, tionary guides longitudinally extended from said cylinder, a semaphore slidably and tiltably mounted on said guides, means normally holding said semaphore against tilting and selectively operable ior tilting the same in opposite directions when the semaphore is extended to a predeter- 1 mined extent, and a control valve connected with a source of vacuum and with said cylinder and operable for extending and retracting said semaphore. i

12. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a 1 cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, guides longitudinally extended from said cylinder, a semaphore slidably and tiltably mounted on said guides, vacuum operated means for selectively tilting said semaphore from a horizontal position 2 when the semaphore has reached a predetermined point during its extension to signalling position. a control valve connected with a source of vacuum, and connections between said control valve and said cylinder and between said valve and said 25! tilting means wherebysaid semaphore may be selectively positioned upon the operation 01 said valve for displaying diil'erent signals.

' 13. A direction signal for vehicles comprising a cylinder, a vacuum operated piston therein, a

semaphore slidably and tiltably connected with said piston, vacuum operated means for regulating the tilting of said semaphore from a normally horizontal signalling position, a control valve embodying a casing connected at diflerent points with said cylinder'and with said vacuum operated tilting means, and a valve connected with a source of vacuum and movable in said casing for selectively establishing communication between opposite portions of said cylinder and said casing and 40 between said casing and said vacuum operated tilting means, for selectively displaying diilereni:

signals.

crmnms o. m 

